Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy’s Journey to Becoming a Big Kid

The unique life story of one of the most talented and inventive comedians, star of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Star Trek. Zombies in North London, death cults in the West Country, the engineering deck of the Enterprise: actor, comedian, writer and self-proclaimed supergeek Simon Pegg has been ploughing some bizarre furrows in recent times.

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Publisher's Summary

The unique life story of one of the most talented and inventive comedians, star of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Star Trek.

Zombies in North London, death cults in the West Country, the engineering deck of the Enterprise: actor, comedian, writer and self-proclaimed supergeek Simon Pegg has been ploughing some bizarre furrows in recent times. Having landed on the U.S. movie scene in the surprise cult hit Shaun of the Dead, his enduring appeal and rise to movie star with a dedicated following has been mercurial, meteoric, megatronic, but mostly just plain great.

From his childhood (and subsequently adult) obsession with science fiction, his enduring friendship with Nick Frost, and his forays into stand-up comedy that began with his regular Monday morning slot in front of his 12-year-old classmates, Simon has always had a severe and dangerous case of the funnies. Whether recounting his experience working as a lifeguard at the city pool, going to Comic-Con for the first time and confessing to Carrie Fisher that he used to kiss her picture every night before he went to sleep, or meeting and working with heroes that include Peter Jackson, Kevin Smith, and Quentin Tarantino, Pegg offers a hilarious look at the journey to becoming an international superstar, dotted with a cast of memorable characters, and you're rooting for him all the way.

I love Simon Pegg, and nearly every movie he's been in. This audiobook is fantastic--his reading is awesome, the stories are fun. BUT WHY is it abridged?! I didn't realize that (I know, I wasn't paying attention in my excitement in getting this book) until AFTER I'd listened to it, then started reading some interviews about it, and thought, "Hey, that wasn't in the book!" Now, what? I have to buy the book itself and REREAD it to get the missing bits?!

A friend introduced me to the world of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost a few years back and I became an instant fan of both. In Nerd Do Well, Simon has this way of viewing the world that is slightly askew and innocent at the same time. Love, loved this book. I like that he doesn't take himself too seriously and like that he added a 'sci-fi' story element. I laughed out loud, I smiled, I'm a fan. Excellent book. I definitely recommend this.

I enjoyed Simon's autobiography - but I also enjoyed his short story. I love his imagination and creative flair, but he is down to earth and funny. Didn't realize that this was abridged version - so somewhat disappointed by that.

I truly laughed and my heart felt warm at Pegg's anecdotes about growing up. The most memorable, however, is the story that he interjects between memories.

Which scene was your favorite?

The part of the book where Canterbury startles Pegg by talking over the intercom unannounced. To which Pegg commands that his robot butler to use a doorbell noise before speaking on the intercom. When Canterbury says on the intercom "Ding-Dong!" and it still startles Pegg. (lol)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I think my favorite was when he met the 4th Doctor. Tom Baker is my Doctor and hearing about Simon meeting him and being offered a Jelly Baby... Oh, it was endearing.

Any additional comments?

Let's face it. The best part about the book is the fact that Simon narrates it himself. I swear I could listen to that man read the phonebook.

Where does Nerd Do Well rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I am a fan of anything read by the author. Especially if it is my favorite witty geeky zombie slaughtering, phantom menace hating, fantastically afraid of everything, fence hoping, (is that enough description?) alien be-friending, Simon Pegg. He adds so much to the book. It mixes some of his crazy imagination, with his real life. It started my year off great to have listened to this.

If you like Simon Pegg, this is probably for you. Having been a fan if his since Shawn of The Dead, I thought it might be interesting, and I wasn't disappointed. In a world where all the cool kids are suddenly trying to prove their geek cred, it's fun to find someone who truly has a love for all things geeky. Someone that becomes succesful simply by treating all the nerdy culture with the reverence it deserves (a la Joss Whedon and Chris Hardwick). Well' another name for that list is Pegg.

Here Pegg interspersies charming, witty, and sometimes sad anecdotes about his life with a cheeky fictional story about him as a billionaire crimefighter with a robot sidekick. each part is entertaining in its own way. The fictional tale is a classic Pegg story filled with homages and jokes about genitalia that you can't help snickering at. But the good stuff is definitely hearing the details that made Pegg who he is. His background in show business, his family relations, awkward times with girls and experiences since becoming famous offer great and entertaining insight into who Pegg is when he's not on set or in front of an audience. And these instances make me more of a fan.

It must also be said that while others probably could have read this book, it was especially rewarding hearing the words with Pegg's own delivery.

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